Chapter 1 : Gazing into Fate
The shackles were heavy. That was the first thing Adrian noticed as the Plegian soldiers dragged him and Maribelle through the narrow mountain pass. The rough iron bit into his wrists with every jarring step, and the cold steel made every breath feel like a weight on his chest. His feet shuffled in time with Maribelle's next to him, her expression a mix of cold resolve and quiet defiance. Neither of them spoke—not yet.
The towering walls of the Border Pass loomed above them, jagged cliffs marking the boundary between Plegia and Ylisse. Every sound seemed to echo ominously, from the rumble of distant thunder to the clank of armor as Plegian soldiers marched alongside their prisoners. The tension was suffocating, and Adrian couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get worse.
Captured during the Plegian attack on Themis, Adrian found himself dragged into this nightmare alongside Maribelle, the daughter of Duke Themis. He had been working as a relatively unknown sellsword for the last few months, hiding in the backdrop of Themis. For all his knowledge of this world and how things should have unfolded, Adrian had been powerless to stop the invasion. Knocked unconscious early in the chaos, he woke in chains, unsure if his presence had altered the events he once knew so well.
"Don't look so glum, sir, " Maribelle muttered beside him, her eyes scanning the horizon. "This farce will be over soon enough. "
Adrian forced a tight-lipped smile, glancing around them. The march had slowed as they neared a clearing in the pass. It was a natural ambush point—open enough for visibility but boxed in by cliffs on either side. The Plegian soldiers were positioning themselves in a loose formation around them, clearly waiting for something—or someone.
"They're using us as bait, " Adrian said quietly. "The Shepherds will come. "
Maribelle didn't respond, but the slight tightening of her grip on her chains told him that she understood. The Shepherds had to come. Chrom, Lissa, and the rest of them. It was the way things were supposed to go, right?
He shifted his wrists, the bite of the iron shackles a constant reminder of his current predicament. He could call forth the Gazing Eye Keyblade—he had done it once before, using its strange power to escape a Plegian prison cell in Themis. But here, surrounded by armed soldiers, escape seemed a distant dream. For now, he could only wait.
Suddenly, the sound of marching boots echoed from the cliffs above. Adrian looked up, heart racing as he saw the unmistakable form of King Gangrel of Plegia approaching the ridge. The mad king, clad in dark armor with a cruel smile twisting his lips, looked down upon his prisoners with gleeful anticipation. His voice rang out over the cliffs, booming and full of mockery.
"Well, well! What a lovely day for a reunion, isn't it? "
Adrian's gaze shifted to the opposite side of the pass, where the Shepherds appeared, led by Chrom, Robin, and Lissa, followed by Emmeryn, the exalt of Ylisse. Adrian's pulse quickened. This was it—the negotiation, the stand-off that could tip the balance of the war.
Emmeryn, calm and composed as always, stepped forward, addressing Gangrel with her characteristic grace. "I am here, as promised, King Gangrel. Let the prisoners go, and we shall resolve this without bloodshed. "
Gangrel cackled, leaning against the hilt of his sword as though it were the most amusing thing he'd heard all day. "Oh, Emmeryn, ever the noble fool. You think this is about those two pitiful prisoners? " He gestured dismissively toward Maribelle and Adrian, as though they were mere pawns on a chessboard. "No, no, no. I have something far more valuable in mind. "
Chrom, standing rigid beside his sister, spoke through gritted teeth. "If it's not the prisoners you want, then what? What's your game, Gangrel? "
"The Fire Emblem, " Gangrel purred, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Hand it over, and I'll consider letting you all leave with your heads still attached. "
Adrian's heart skipped a beat. The Fire Emblem. He had known it was coming, but hearing it spoken aloud in this world—a world that now felt all too real—sent a shiver down his spine. The Fire Emblem was a powerful artifact, crucial to the future of Ylisse and the world's fate. And here was Gangrel, demanding it as if it were nothing more than a shiny bauble.
Chrom's hand tightened around the hilt of his sword. "You know we can't give you that. "
Gangrel's expression twisted into something darker, more feral. "Can't? Or won't? "
Emmeryn held up a hand, her voice steady. "The Fire Emblem is not something to be bargained with. You know its importance, Gangrel. I will not allow it to fall into your hands. "
The Plegian king let out a short, barking laugh. "You'll not allow it? Oh, that's rich! As if you have any say in the matter. " He straightened, his eyes flicking between Emmeryn and Chrom. "I came here with an offer of peace, Exalt. But if you refuse... " His gaze darkened. "Then war it is. "
The tension in the air crackled like a live wire. Chrom stepped forward, his sword drawn. "Then so be it. "
Gangrel's eyes gleamed with excitement. "A declaration of war! How thrilling! "
Adrian's stomach twisted as Plegian soldiers began to close ranks. This was spiraling out of control—just as he had known it would. The parley had failed, and now battle was inevitable.
"Kill the prisoners, " Gangrel commanded, his voice was icy.
Adrian's heart leapt into his throat as Plegian soldiers moved toward him and Maribelle, their swords drawn. His mind raced. He could summon the Keyblade, but he wasn't sure how many he could take on. He was no Chrom, no skilled warrior. He had to think—fast.
Before he could act, a flash of light erupted nearby, followed by a high-pitched voice calling out.
"Leave them alone! "
Adrian blinked, turning toward the source of the commotion. Standing on a nearby cliff, his hand raised and crackling with magic, was Ricken, the Shepherd's youngest mage. Beside him was Maribelle's childhood friend, his face filled with determination.
The Plegian soldiers paused, momentarily distracted by the sudden appearance of Ricken. Adrian didn't hesitate—he seized the opportunity.
With a flick of his wrist, the Gazing Eye materialized in his hand, its eerie eye gleaming in the dim light. He swung the Keyblade with all his might, shattering the chains that bound him. Maribelle stared at him in shock, but there was no time to explain.
"Can you move? " Adrian asked, pulling Maribelle to her feet.
She nodded, though her expression remained steely. "I can. "
"Good, " Adrian muttered, tightening his grip on the Keyblade. "Let's get out of here. "
They didn't waste a second. As Ricken hurled another bolt of magic down at the Plegians, Adrian and Maribelle darted toward the Shepherds, weaving through the chaos of the battlefield.
"Ricken! Maribelle! " Lissa's voice rang out from the other side of the pass. She and Chrom were locked in combat with Plegian soldiers, but their eyes were fixed on their friends.
Adrian's breath came in ragged gasps as he fought to keep pace with Maribelle, who, despite her aristocratic upbringing, moved with surprising speed. He could hear the clang of swords and the roar of spells behind him, but his focus was solely on reaching the shepherds.
Finally, they broke through the chaos, collapsing in a heap near Lissa, who immediately began tending to Maribelle's injuries.
"Are you all right? " Lissa asked, her eyes wide with concern.
Maribelle nodded, though her face was pale. "I'll be fine, thanks to Ricken... and Adrian. "
Lissa turned to Adrian, her expression softening. "You too? I thought—"
"Long story, " Adrian muttered, catching his breath. "But it's not over yet. "
Chrom stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at Adrian's Keyblade. "We'll have time for explanations later. Right now, we fight. "
Adrian nodded, the weight of the Gazing Eye still heavy in his hand. He wasn't sure how much use he'd be in the battle to come, but he couldn't stand on the sidelines anymore.
This is real.
And it was just beginning.